1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for peeling a cover of a golf ball, a method of removing the cover from a core, an apparatus for removing the cover from the core and a method of manufacturing a golf ball formed of a regenerated material.
2. Description of the Related Art
A golf ball is roughly divided into a wound ball and a solid ball. The solid ball comprises a core having a single or more rubber layers and a synthetic resin cover coated over a surface of the core. If the golf ball is used repetitively, the surface of the cover is damaged and dimples are also worn. As a result, the appearance is deteriorated and a flight distance is shortened during the lifetime of the ball. In view of this, most used golf balls are wasted. In recent years, a large amount of golf balls have been wasted with an increase in production of the golf ball, which has caused problems.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-137368 (1998/137368) has disclosed a method of collecting and regenerating used balls. In this method, a cover of the used ball having a damaged surface is peeled by means of a removing apparatus. A pair of cylindrical geared rolls which are mutually arranged in a transverse direction are used for the removing apparatus. Teeth are formed in an axial direction at a predetermined pitch over the circumferential surface of the roll and the roll is rotated inwardly with the teeth engaged with each other. A ball having a convex portion formed previously on a cover is mounted between the rolls which are being rotated. Consequently, the convex portion is bitten between the rolls and is thus pulled so that the cover is removed from a core. The cover thus removed is treated again and is utilized as a covering material.
In order to interpose the convex portion by mating the teeth with each other, it is necessary to press the rolls against each other and the teeth of the rolls are damaged easily. In addition, there is a possibility that the surface of the core might be damaged by the teeth during the removal.
Since the convex portion is formed by deforming the cover, a size thereof is restricted. For this reason, when the golf ball is put on the rolls, the convex portion cannot reach a roll nip and the cover cannot be removed in some cases. If a roll diameter is decreased, a distance between a lower end of the ball put on the roll and the nip of the rolls is reduced so that the convex portion is reliably bitten between the rolls. However, the roll having a small diameter is fragile so that troubles are practically made in respect of durability.
Furthermore, it is necessary to stably form a convex portion having a uniform dimension in order to reliably bite the convex portion, which cannot be carried out readily.